Tuesday, August 15, 2017

The Battle of Saraighat was fought in 1671 between the army of the Mughal empire (led by the Kachwaha king, Raja Ramsingh I), and the army and navy of Ahom Kingdom (led by Lachit Borphukan) on the Brahmaputra river at Saraighat, now in Guwahati, Assam, India. The Ahom Army defeated the Mughal Army by brilliant uses of the terrain.

The Battle of Saraighat was the last battle and the last major attempt by the Mughals to extend their empire into Assam. Though the Mughals managed to regain Guwahati briefly afterwards, the Ahoms wrested control in the Battle of Itakhuli in 1682 and maintained it till the end of their rule.

The Mughal Emperor Auranjeb deputed the powerful Rajput king Raja Ram Singha as the Commander-in-Chief of the Mughal army to attack Ahoms.

The king of Ahoms at that time, Chakradwaj Singha ordered the deployment of Assamese forces on both the banks of the Brahmaputra. Commander of the Ahoms, the Borphukan was aware that the Mughals would definitely try to invade the country on the north bank of the Brahmaputra as they could move faster on the land routes of the north bank. The south bank of the Brahmaputra was relatively safer as the enemy needed to cross the mighty river Brahmaputra to attack the Assamese forces on the south bank. Moreover, the Assamese naval force was fairly strong and it has strategic border posts. Hence Borphukan chose south bank as the point where he will fight the mughal army and he fortified the border posts.

Lachit Barphukan camped in Itakhuli. He had a very strong personality. None could look straight at his face. After detailing his soldiers, he came and held discussion with the commanders.

On the Northbank, there was a debacle. At Alaboi, ten thousand soldiers were killed by the Mughal army. It disheartened King Chakradwaj Singha. In fact, Lachit was not interested to fight the Mughal army on the north bank. On the insistence of the king, he had sent his soldiers to fight the land battle at Allaboi near Agiathuri resulting in a catastrophe.

After the death of king Chakradwaj, his cousin Udayaditya ascended the throne. He was in favour of a negotiated settlement and there were diplomatic missions between the Barphukan and Raja Ram Singha. But the conditions given by Ram Singha that Guwahati be returned to the Mughal was totally unacceptable and so Lachit Barphukan procrastinated. On the other hand, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was furious that Raja Ram Singha was not being able to wrest away Guwahati and the lower Assam from the Ahom king. He ordered Ram Singha to fight the Assamese.

Raja Ram Singha was now determined to fight the Assamese. So he sent Munnawar Khan, his nephew Rabat Khan, Lasid Khan, two Firingis (foreigners) on war boats. They fired their guns and shot their arrows from their boats to launch an attack on the Assamese. The Assamese fleet retreated to Amrajurighat.

It was, therefore, thought by the Mughal Commanders that the landing of their men and horses would be easy at that open shore for an attack on Guwahati. But, in the meantime, high sand banks had been built by the Assamese all along it from the foot of the Kamakhya Hill to that of Sukreswar. When the Mughal fleet reached the Juria Hill, the Assamese army retreated to Asvakranta. Even with high temperature, Lachit Barphukan remained alert and was informed every few minutes about the advance of the enemy up the river. There was such a concentration of the Ahom navy at Guwahati that it was possible to walk over the bridge of war-boats alone from one bank of the Brahmaputra to the other. The Mughals pressed forward to the open shore of Andharubali and the Assamese fell back to the Bar-Sila after an action which did not succeed in stemming the enemy’s progress. It seemed as if there was a break-down in the command, though there was not any inherent lack of energy and strength of the Ahom navy, which had regained its supremacy under Chakradhvaj Singha.

Some of the Assamese boatmen wanted to retreat to Kajali and Samdhara. The commander at Aswaklanta, a Hazarika of the Miri Sandiqui family, asked the Barphukan to come to his rescue. Lachit Barphukan sent the following reply:-“Tell your men, I am going to die on this spot and I will never think of abandoning my charge. I have a piece of land on the top of the Chila hill which will provide sufficient accommodation for my dead body. If I survive I shall go after all the people who have left their places.” A commander named Nara Hazarika rushed from Sindurighopa, and knelt down before the retreating soldiers shouting, “My countrymen, do please flee if you want to pour poison on this platter of gold!” The Barphukan immediately placed 2,000 men at the disposal of Nara Hazarika.

The Buragohain was at Lathia. Hatibarua Deka loaded all the belongings of the Buragohain on the boats without his knowledge. Even the belongings of the Barphukan were also loaded without his knowledge into the boats which reached Latasil. The Barphukan who was very ill was watching this scene from his sick bed at his archery store .When he heard that the Mughals had reached Juria, he asked the attendants to take him out so that he could see how far the Mughals had arrived. He was taken out to the gate yard of his residence by four Bhuyans.

The Barphukan wanted to go to confront the Mughals but the astrologer Achyutananda Doloi said, “The time is not the auspicious for it”. The Barphukan said, “Doloi, I shall now severe your head before the Heavenly King does it!” The Doloi said, “You may do so.” The Barphukan remained at his gate house taking information about the naval battle. He said, “The Mughals have crossed Amrajuri; Doloi, the Heavenly King will not spare you nor me. You have paved the way for your annihilation, brought about my disgrace and destroyed my livelihood!” After a few seconds, the astrologer announced, “Now is the most appropriate time to catch the enemy!”

The Barphukan immediately came down the steps of the gate house, supported by Nodai of Kharangi and boarded his boat. Seeing the retreating of the Ahom soldiers, the oarsmen wanted to go upstream leaving the scene of contest. The Barphukan exclaimed, “How dare you row the boats upstream? The King has given me the command of the people of the place here. Should I go back to my wife and family without fighting the enemy? How dare these serfs of boatmen venture to row up the boats without my permission?” So saying he hit four oarsmen with the blunt edge of his sword and threw them into the water. He beat up his body guards and threw them into the river. He, however, allowed them to come when their comrades entreated him for mercy.

The effect was electrifying. Words spread that the Barphukan was killing those who were retreating without fighting the enemy and throwing them into the river. The Barphukan said loudly, “Let the Mughals capture me alive and let my people go home in peace!” His fleet of seven boats with mounted guns sped towards the enemies. This gallant and extra-ordinary act of the Ahom General at once restored the morale of his army and the navy and immediately the shore batteries of the Ahoms and the archers, on the north and south banks went into action with terrific volleys and their naval forces fell upon the Mughal fleet and threw it into confusion. A big battle ensued in the area of Saraighat and both the sides called up their strength. The Sharing Phukan, the Neog Kataki and many Hazarikas proceeded from Rangmahal and joined their army in this violent contest. The Mughal Commandant Sharip Khan and two other Amirs commanding the navy fell downs dead. Innumerable Mughal soldiers were killed and many of their boats with men, horses and war materials were sunk. The survivors made quick retreat in their boats. A large amount of booty came into the possession of the Ahoms. There was no other fighting after this naval fight. That was the historic battle of Saraighat fought in the middle of March, 1671, which became the Waterloo for the mighty Mughals in the east.

The Assamese people regained their lost glory. The victory of the Assamese people in the battle of Saraighat was a landmark in the history of Assam and Assamese are proud of this great achievement of Veer Lachit.

1977 - Emergency was lifted due to the agitation by opposition parties and people. Elections held and Janata Party came into power. Morarji Desai become the first non-congress Prime Minister as leader of Janata Party.

1984 - Operation Blue Star was conducted to occupy Golden Temple and flush out terrorists from the complex.

1987 - Mr. India film became a big hit.

2001 - Lata Mangeshkar was given Bharat Ratna award

2006 - FaceBook was introduced in India.

2014 - BJP won absolute majority in the Parliament. Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.

New ministers of Central Government started their work in the new offices.
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Death

Babu Jagjivan Ram

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh paying floral tributes at Babu Jagjivan Ram Smriti Sansthan on the occasion of 29th death anniversary of the former Deputy Prime Minister, Babu Jagjivan Ram, in New Delhi on July 06, 2015.http://pibphoto.nic.in/photo//2015/Jul/l2015070667205.jpg

Saturday, July 22, 2017

1917 - Gandhi arrived in Champaran, a district in the state of Bihar. Taken as the starting of Champaran Satyagrah or movement
1982 - INSAT 1A was launched.
1995 - Morarji Desai died at the age of 99.
2014 - Lok Sabha Elections 3rd phase voting

Narayana Rane

Born on April 10, 1952, he matriculated in 1970.

He was elected to the Bombay Municipal Corporation in 1985. Between 1988 and 1991, he was a member of the Bombay Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking -BEST- and also worked as president of the undertaking for three consecutive years.

He made his debut in the Maharashtra Assembly in 1990, was re-elected in 1995 and made a Cabinet Minister when the Shiv Sena-BJP combine formed the coalition

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

1854 - Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company ( the first cotton spinning mill to be established in Bombay), was floated on 7 July 1854 by Cowasjee Nanabhoy Davar (1815-73) and his associates.
See the link

1855 - 30,000 people went to Calcutta to fight British
It is an interesting entry. More details to be collected

2015 - Launch of the 'Pashu Poshan', a web and android platform application developed by the National Dairy Development Board

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Jaswant Singh Rawat (19 August 1941 - 17 November 1962) was an Indian rifleman soldier of 4 Garhwal Rifles. He won the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously for the Battle of Nuranang in the present day Arunachal Pradesh during the 1962 India-China war.

The exemplary bravery shown by Jaswant Rawat was honored by building a memorial at the post where he fought the Chinese army. The post which he held against the Chinese Army was named as Jaswant Garh.

Another honor bestowed upon him is that he continues in the service even after death, he has been awarded promotions as if he is still serving the Nation. There is a memorial for him and army serve at the memorial as if Jaswant Singh is still alive.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

1789 - Agreement made between British East India Company, Peshwa of Pune and Nizam of Hyderabad to attack Tipu Sultan territory.

1933 - Mahatma Gandhi sentenced to one year imprisonment.

1966 - The Press Council of India was first constituted on 4th July, 1966 as an autonomous, statutory, quasi-judicial body, with Shri Justice J R Mudholkar, then a Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chairman uner The Press Council Act, 1965.http://presscouncil.nic.in/Content/29_3_History.aspx

Saturday, June 24, 2017

BharatiyaJanataVijayDivas

People defied the vindictive actions of the prime minister who has to resign due to the Court verdict. It was rebirth of democracy in India. If Congress led the independence movement, it is the opposition of the day, that led the resistance to individual power mongering. "Indira is India" doctrine was defeated. Indian people won the war of democracy 1975 - 77.

He has won eight doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, and is the oldest man to have won a Grand Slam title. He won both men's doubles/mixed doubles titles at the 1999 Wimbledon tournament.

He has received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India's highest sporting honour, in 1996–97; the Arjuna Award in 1990; the Padma Shri award in 2001 and its 3rd Highest Civilian Award the Padma Bhushan in January 2014.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

1834 East India Company annexed Coorg.
1849 Bethune College was started in Calcutta (Kolkata) for Women's education

1958 Acharya Kripalani was elected as the leader of a new opposition group in Parliament
1973 Foundation stone for Itanagar, the new capital of Arunachal Pradesh was laid.
1990 Shilanyas for a new Ram temple in place of Babri Masjid was attempted by Rama Janma Bhumi nyas. Government disallowed it.
1991 Haryana beat Bombay in final and won Ranji Trophy
1993 Janaki Raman Report on Harshad Mehta Stock Market Scam was released.
1996 Third and Final phase of Lok Sabha Election - 185 Lok Sabha seats went in for polls.

2014 64 LS seats went in for polling in the 8 phase of 16th Lok Sabha Elections. Record polling has happened in the all the states.

He joined the Forum of Free Enterprise, which was launched on 18 July 1956 by the late A D Shroff. In 1957, along with Nani Palkhivala. The Forum grew into a national organisation and it organised meetings on economic subjects across the country.

He left the employment in the Forum in 1976, but continued to be its vice president till his death.

He was an honorary secretary of the All-India Bank Depositors' Association and worked for consumber rights through this forum. The Indian edition of Reader's Digest, has put him on the cover of their October 1995 issue under the title M. R. Pai - Champion of the Consumer.

Motilal Nehru is the father of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

Motilal Nehru was born on May 6, 1861. His parents were Gangadhar Nehru and Jeevarani. The Nehru family were living in Delhi for several generations. Gangadhar Nehru was a kotwal in that city. During India's independence struggle of 1857, Gangadhar Nehru left Delhi with his family and moved to Agra. He died in February 1861 and his youngest child, Motilal, was born three months later. Motilal's brother became a lawyer first and educated his brother to become a lawyer also. Motilal Nehru became a successful lawyer and joined Congress party for India's freedom struggle. He became President of the Congress Party twice.